None.
Not Applicable.
This invention relates to forklifts and pallet lifts, specifically to a pallet lift that is mounted to a tow hitch receiver of a vehicle such as an automobile or van.
When large amounts of goods or products are shipped from a manufacturer, distributor, or the like, these goods are often shipped on pallets or skids. Each pallet will hold a certain amount of the product being shipped, the separate units such as boxes or bags being stacked to a predetermined height based on total weight of shipment.
It is not uncommon for some of these goods to be bought by consumers in quantity from a retailer or consumer wholesaler, such as a hardware store, feed store, or the like. However, it can be difficult for the consumer to transport these goods to their homes or whatever other place in which they intend to use the goods. For instance, garden mulch may be sold in forty pound bags, one layer on a pallet being formed of six bags. A consumer buying a large amount of bags, such as thirty, would have several choices in how to transport the mulch bags. However, at present, the only way consumers may move the bags on their own would be to lift each bag into their own vehicle, and then unload them from the vehicle upon arriving at the destination.
Presently, it is known to mount a hydraulic lift on the back end of a light or heavy truck or a forklift on the flat bed of a heavy truck. Use of these, however, is limited to those who rent one or own. As a percentage, few consumers own these vehicles, yet at times, require the delivery of heavy goods shipped in pallets.
Accordingly, it is sought to provide an inexpensive apparatus that a person who ordinarily would not own or use a heavy truck with a mounted forklift may use to transport a pallet or partial pallet of goods.
The present invention resides in a forklift including a mounting tongue, a pair of lift arms insertable into the pallet, and a jack which raises and lowers the lift arms. Preferably, the forklift is removably securable to a vehicle, and preferably the rear end of the vehicle with the lift arms extending rearwardly when in a service position and extending upwardly when in a stored position. Preferably, the forklift is removably attached to a square tow hitch receiver mounted to the vehicle. The jack is rated to lift two tons, though this may vary, and may be hand-operated or hydraulically actuated. The lift arms include extending arms which telescope out from the lift arms.
The forklift also includes a generally vertical or upright lift post, a lift crossbar connected to a lower end of said lift post, the lift arms being connected to ends of the crossbar. The jack includes a base, a ram, and a ram head such that the actuating of the jack raises and lowers the lift post, lift crossbar, and lift arms. The forklift further includes a slide block mounted to the ram head, and a top slide permanently mounted to the slide block and attached to said lift post. The forklift also includes a bottom slide closely fitted around said lift post, the lift post and bottom slide having horizontal holes into which a pin is inserted for greater stability while under load. A second pin is inserted through a hole in the top slide which is aligned to a hole in the lift post for securing the top slide to the lift post.
The crossbar includes a series of holes, as do the lift arms. A pin is inserted into each of the lift arms and into the crossbar to secure the lift arms to the crossbar.
The forklift preferably includes a generally vertical support plate permanently mounted to the mounting tongue, a generally horizontal support plate connected to the vertical support plate, an anterior brace permanently mounted to the vertical support plate and the mounting tongue, and a posterior brace permanently mounted to the vertical support plate and the horizontal support plate. Preferably, the vertical support plate and horizontal support plate are formed integral from a single piece of steel.
Preferably, the forklift includes a block permanently mounted to said horizontal support plate, and the base of the jack is secured to the block. Preferably, the block is permanently mounted to the bottom slide.
The present invention also resides in the combination of a forklift for lifting loads on a pallet and a vehicle to which it is attached. This combination comprises a mounting tongue removably securable to a vehicle, a pair of lift arms insertable into the pallet, and a jack supported by the mounting tongue, such that the actuating of the jack raises and lowers the lift arms. Further, the jack includes a ram head, and the forklift includes a lift post securable to the ram head, a lift crossbar securable to a lower portion of the lift post. The lift arms are removably secured to the lift crossbar.